It was a slow day at the tavern today - at least for Madoka. Since there was a low-influx of visitors today, she could take her time cleaning everything up, rather than rush over to clean puddles of water. There was also her size, which, while it allowed her to slip into the smaller areas easily, also made it easy for other Pokemon to kick her around.

"... Hmm."

As she mopped up the floor, she began to appreciate the peace that comes with a day like this. At least nobody in here was astoundingly drunk, noisy, rude, or all three at once.

Then, a bell rang.

It was a familiar face; Theo - the Whimsicott from down in the road who sold his hand-made scarves to people - came down here. Since business seemed to be a little boring today, he decided to take some time off to himself.

Madoka usually kept to herself and didn't engage with every new customer, after all, she knew that they'd probably just ignore her, anyway. Though, she has been trying to work up the courage to talk to him, being that they're pretty similar in size and shape.

"H-Hi there…" She waved shyly.

"Oh, howdy there, ma'am! You want to speak with me?"

She nodded meekly. "Yes…"

"Well, nice to have some company around here! Isn't it wonderful to take your mind off work for a bit?" He crawled on top of one of the wooden stools. "I would've gone to the cafe, but it seems they're closed for today." Theo helped her onto a stool herself.

"Y-yeah, I guess. The noise, um, bothers me here. But the pay here is decent…" Madoka grabbed her purse, looking into its contents. "I got enough money to get some food, but I'm not really hungry, so I'll save it…"

He chuckled, "Mm, yeah, it can get quite messy over here!" Theo pulled on the cotton on his head, tearing some pieces off. "I'll just use all this freetime to make more material. Gotta be prepared for more customers, after all~"

"Doesn't that… hurt?"

"Nah, it grows back. In fact, our cotton grows back quicker when we're bathed in sunlight. That's why, when it's windy out, I close shop and stay inside, because the wind can blow the cotton off my head."

"I see…"

"Oh, I keep forgetting to introduce myself… I'm Theo! And who could you be?"

"Madoka."

"Madoka? Interesting name… Actually, I don't think I've seen a whole lot of Cherrim in my life, apart from you."

"Most of us tend to, um, pop out during the spring season. We don't move a whole lot from our homes… But, I kind of wanted to see the outside world, so I left home… I kind of regret it, knowing how hard my work can be, but at least I get to see so many different types of Pokemon out there."

"I guess the fun of it all is getting to see all kinds of different faces out there! That's why I left home, too, so I could see all kinds of customers. Though, I do understand the feeling of homesickness… I sometimes wonder if I'll ever see my younger sister again."

Madoka sipped on some honeydew she got from the break room earlier, looking down on the droplet to see a reflection of herself. She also took a Pecha berry, but she hasn't taken a bite out of it yet. "Hmm… I wonder if anyone else around here feels homesick at times."

"We all do~! Some clients have come to me to commission special gifts for their family and friends back at home. It feels so heartwarming to make someone's day like that, even if we'll never meet in our lives."

She smiled, "That's actually really sweet…"

Suddenly, another bell could be heard. Two, tall, large figures, both sporting two long black tails. One ended with a red tip, the other blue. They sat right next to Madoka and Theo, which made the two a little nervous, as they were like a mere Joltik compared to them.

"Ey! Get us somethin' strong like us!" One said.

"Yeah, somethin' strong !" The other added.

They looked down at the two small Grass-types next to them to make sure they weren't going to sit on them. A sudden chill went up Madoka's spine.

"U-um… um… hey, there…"

"Oh, Madoka, don't be shy. Admittedly, it's a bit nerve wracking to be around the bigger guys, but I'm sure they mean no harm! Trust me, I've run into a lot of giants."

The red-tipped Electrivire smirked, "Who let their children loose into the tavern?" They collectively laughed.

Theo didn't like the quip about his size."Heeeeeyy… Just because I'm small, doesn't mean I'm a kid! In fact, I run my own business if you've ever seen it."

"Pfft, you girls remind me of our younger brother, Timmy. He was small, weak… The perfect type of guy who's buttons can be easily pushed."

"In fact, he refuses to evolve because he thinks evolution will turn him into a jerk. What a pussy!" They roared with laughter once again, "It's a shame he never changed his mind. We could've been a shocking trio if he'd just man up!"

"...Girls? Excuse me, but I'm a boy." Theo crossed his arms. "At least get that right before you compare us to someone else."

"That's... not very nice…" Madoka frowned, "I don't, um, think I know who he is… but, you shouldn't say mean things about your family..."

"Ooh, what's this?" He snatched the pecha berry from Madoka, taking a big bite out of it. "A Pecha berry! Wow, this is pretty ripe, too!"

"H-hey! T-that… that was mine…!" She teared up a little, as she was saving it for a bit, only for it to be taken away from her. "You could've… at least asked…"

"And what are you going to do about it, missy? Throw leaves at us?"

She didn't have a response. They were technically right: What was she going to do about it? All she really knew was Leafage, Helping Hand, Tackle, Flower Shield...

How was any of that going to help her take on two Electrivires?

The Electrivre looked at the Cherrim, sitting there miserably. "Oh, whatever. Here, have it back!" He threw the half-eaten berry at her, which didn't have a lot to salvage from.

"... Hey! What was that for? All she did was give a suggestion! You didn't need to steal her food for it!" Theo wasn't usually pissed off, after all, he was usually the happy-go-lucky type of guy, but seeing them bully Madoka for no reason made him mad.

"Well, maybe if she kept her mouth shut, but that berry looked really good."

"Oho! Is the little puffball going to throw cotton at us?"

"She didn't even say anything horrible! If you're going to be like that, then you could at the very least leave her alone!" He scratched his head fast, letting out little Cotton Spores that flew at the two Electrivires, which grew on them like vines, quickly covering them in white fluff.

"What is this!?" One exclaimed.

"I don't know! He literally did just throw cotton at us!" They tried their hardest to remove the cotton that was growing all over their bodies, but the cotton made them considerably sluggish.

"Don't like it when I do it to you, huh? Then, leave her alone!"

"Fine, we'll leave her alone. She's too fragile and soft for us, anyway.'

"It's more fun when they try to fight back! Watching her cry was funny, though."

The two Electrivires slothfully stumbled away, the cotton on their bodies serving as a weighted padding.

Theo could hear Madoka attempting to hold in tears, albeit unsuccessfully. She felt as if her day took a turn for the worse, and only within a matter of minutes.

"Don't let them get to you, Madoka. You did the right thing." He tried to reassure her, comforting her with his own soft cotton. "The day will get better, I promise…"

She stopped for a moment, wiping away a tear with her nub-like arms. "It will…? I hope it will…"

He gave her a small little hug. "It will, it will."